During the days of the Edwardian Music Halls, their Masters of Ceremonies would often present those on stage and in the orchestra pit for applause by announcing to the audiences from their stage-side pulpits, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Entire Company!“, usually followed by a sharp rap with the gavel.
Grange Theatre stalwart Andrew Jenner has devoted a considerable amount of his time to produce the listing below of our own Entire Company, which contains (to date) the name of every single person who was ever involved in supporting the productions at the Grange, either on- or off-stage: the list grants no comparison – our many friends appear in strict alphabetical order and their names have been trawled from programmes, memories (outstandingly, Andrew’s own), notes on the backs of photographs and the occasional press critique. The work is a tour de force covering, as it does, the entire span of our theatre’s existence and represents a unique historical document.
Those appearing in, or associated, with shows directed by Val Temlett herself (two dogs included!) comprise the bulk of the list; names followed by (G) were welcomed as “Guests” performing beneath the umbrella of a visiting group or society but who weren’t involved with any part of the immediate Grange “family”. Nevertheless they too were part of the solid foundation upon which our theatre’s reputation depended.
The front-of-house staff deserve special mention – those unsung heroes who manned the bar & coffee bar and washed-up the glasses after every evening’s performance, helped park the patrons’ cars, dusted and polished, cleaned the public areas including the toilets, tidied the grounds around the house etc and whose only acknowledgment was the entry at the back of each programme stating simply that “The Theatre wishes to thank the Front of House staff for their invaluable help with this production”. As Andrew points out, whereas Fred and Val had obviously to carefully plan those people directly involved in rehearsals and performances, the front-of-house staff were drawn from villagers living near-by and each individual might often only be able to promise perhaps a few evenings during a fortnight’s run. Thus, specific names were difficult to set in stone; Fred’s generic acknowledgement had to make do, but his gratitude ran very deep.
So, to sum up, during the Grange Theatre’s 40 years’ existence, 119 shows were presented to our patrons and an astonishing 844 people willingly gave their time and skills, of whom some 60 were Guests.
If you are reading this and find your name is omitted, do please get in touch so that your name can be added to the august company.
A
John Abbott (G), Hal Adams, Anthea Adkins (G), Karen Airey, Hilary Alexander (G), Joan Alexander, Suzanne Alford, Heather Anderson, David Anker, Graham Anker, Sue Anker, Claire Appleby, Peter Appleby (G), William Arnold, Ted Atkins.
B
Nicole Badrick, Margaret Baldwin, Marion Barker, Barbara Bennett, June Bartlett, Stephen Bateman (G), Megan Battley, Joan Bayman, Marilyn Beale, Eileen Beck, Julie Bedlow, Geoffrey Benfield, Keith Bennett, “Bernard” the dog, Simon Birkett, Annette Board, Colin Bolam, Eileen Bomford, Ernie Bonner, Jean Bonner, John Bott, Valerie Boulton, Gary Bowden, Gordon Bowen, Carol Bower, Warren Blackstone, Dorothy Blackwell, Ben Bradley, Pam Bradley (G), Sam Bradley, Russell Brandon (G), Loretta Bridger, Ron Bridger, Mark Brown, Sasha Buckman, Jessica Buckman, Peter Buckman, Jean Bull, Marylyn Bull, Silvia Bunce and husband, Peter Burley, David Bushrod, Ian Bushrod, Meryl Byast (G).
C
K. Caiger (G), Sarah Verney Caird (G), Tessa Caldercott, Neil Canning, Dorothy Carrington, Lucy Catlin, Diane Chipperfield, Kipper Chipperfield, Lucinda Clark (G), Brian Clarkin, Pat Clement, Stephen Coles, Stephen Collins, Arthur Cooper (G), Reg Cooper (G), Alan Copelin, Peter Cornah, Ken Cottrell (G), Brian Couser (G), Tim Crabtree, Lorraine Creevy (G), Morwenna Crichton, Fred Cross, Philip Croxson, Jill Cullyer, Bruce Cunningham, Jane Cunningham.
D
Mary Jane Dale, Paul De Val, Lucy Davidson, Julie Davies, Louise Davies, Michael Davies, Hilary Dawney, Mary Deates (G), Christine Denton, Clifford Denton, Elaine Donnellan, Grant Duckett, Jane Dunman, Stephen Dunstone.
E
Hazel Eagles, Hugh Edginton, Derek Edwards, Jill Edwards, Sian Edwards, Fiona Elsey.
F
Lawrence Farbrother, Elva Fardoe (G), Karen Faulkner, Ellie Fensome, Debbie Field, Margaret Fink, Bruce Finlay, Caroline Finlay, Helen Finlay, Jackie Finlay, “Flash” the dog, Margaret Flynn, David Ford, Lucy Fortescue, Elaine Franklin, Peter Freeman, Steve Friar.
G
Dawn Gabaldoni, Cliff Gadsby, Marion Gadsby, Nick Garnett, Catherine Geekie, Catherine Glynn, Gynette Gelling, Martin Gelling, Mary Gentle, Jonathan Gibbs (G), Stephen Gillian, Denise Glazer, Sandra Glover, Beryl Goodall, Michael Goodall, Pat Goodall, Peter Goodway, Robert Gorton, Deborah Goswell, Jessica Gouder, Doris Gould, Tamsin Gowner, Helen Grant, Brian Green, Hilary Griffiths, Kim Griffiths, Ena Grubb (G), Andy Gutteridge.
H
Margaret Hale (G), Karl Hammarling, Jeremy Hardwick, James Harper, Millie Harper, Ian Harris, Judith Harris, Nicola Harvey, Pat Hawkins, Chris Hayes, Joe Haynes (G), Kathleen Hemmings, David Hoad, Alex Hood (G), Linda Hopkins, Elizabeth Hosegood (G), Jane Humphrey (G), Adam Hurst, Pauline Hurst.
I
Carol Ince, Vic Ince, Gill Iredale, Jonathan Irwin (G).
J
Dennis Jacobs (G), John Jacques, Lindsay Jacques, Martin Jacques, Sandra Jacques, Stephen Jakeman, Pat James, Andrew Jenner, Lavinia (‘Vinny’) Jenner, Roger Jenner, Stephanie Jenner, Gareth Jeremy, Anthony Johnson, Joan Johnson, Tom Johnson, Clare Jones (G), Elizabeth Jones, Ellis Jones (G), Kim Jones, Neville Jones.
K
John Kay, Lyn Kerry, Dorothy King (G), Jeff King, Paul Kirton, Jean Knight.
L
Paul Lacoux, Martin Lainchbury, Maureen Lake, Jill Lea, Gayna Lee, Nell Lees, Sally Leszczynski, Oliver Lister, Angela Liversedge, David Lock, Diedre Logan, Hilary Longfellow, Sue Louch, June Luker (G), Deborah Lynch.
M
Jim Macica, Sarah Malcolm, Margaret Mallace (G), Barbara Mann, Brian Markham (G), Debbie Matthews, Alan Mauro, David Mayne, Robert Mayne, Niamh McCall, Simon McCall, Tom McCaw, Peggy McDonald, Rod McKuen (G), Marijke Meijer, Robby Mellor, Sue Messenger, Claire Michell, Jay Miller, David Minton (G), Paula Mitchell, Richard Moat, Louise Mock, George Moon, Mary Moon (G), Roger Moon, Tracey Morby, Judy Morgan, Pat Morgan, Angela Morris, Phil Morris, Vanessa Morrish, Bob Mulvaney, Vivienne Mumby, Dorothy Murphy.
N
Sheila Nicolai, Marion Nicolle (G), Catherine Nightingale, Clive Nightingale, Daniel Nightingale, Phillipa Nightingale, Nadine Nivison.
O
Sue Oddie, Claire O’Doherty (G), Helen O’Doherty (G), Helen Oliver, Sue Orchard, Tricia O’Reilly, Lynne Oulette, Gary Owen.
P
Maureen Padfield, Beryl Pearce, Norman Pearce, Jean Pedder, Laura Pedder, Christine Petman, Anne Pinfold, Jo Platten (G), Clare Powell (G), Joseph Powell (G), Tom Pratt, Ian Preece, Jane Preece, Margaret Price, Harry Prior (G), Carolyn Purefoy, Hilary Pulker (G).
R
Ted Raby, Vera Raby, Jeremy Radburn, Albertine Rae, Beeny Rae, Duncan Rees, Emrys Rees, Gwyn Rees, Emma Reeve, Lou Reid, Ian Rennolds, Gay Reynolds, Christopher Richards, Neil Richardson, Norman Roast, Alan Robey (G), Susanne Robey (G), Helen Ross, Chris Rothero, Graham Rousell, Sue Ryan, Tony Rye, Jayne Ryman.
S
Jean Sadler, Fiona Sampson, Evelyn Sargent (G), Alena Saroka, Alexander Saroka, Justina Sebag-Montefiore, Liam Sebag-Montefiore, Gerry Senior, Ken Sharman, Ted Shears, Caroline Sherington, Margaret Sims, Norma Sims, Keith Sipe, Pamela Sipe, Cheryl Smith, John Smith, Nicola Smith, Julia Southam, Susan Southwell, John Spence, Margaret Spencer, Pam Spencer, ‘Starsky’, Gerry Steer, Roger Stein, Amanda Storer, Justina Stowell, Iona Stubbs, Natasha Stubbs, Pat Stubbs, Sian Sullivan (G), Joanne Summers, Matthew Summers, Mike Summers (G),
T
Barry Tabraham, Graham Talbot, Natalie Tate, Charlotte Tayler, Robin Taylor, Sue Taylor, Fred Temlett, Stephen Temlett, Valarie Temlett, David Thomas, Debbie Thomas, Juliet Thomas, Margaret Thomas, Debbie Thompson, Josephine Thompson, Lucy Thorne, Mary Timlin, Geoff Tomlin, Andy Tooth, Liz Tooth, Norma Tovey (G), Caroline Tregaskis (G), Bill Trumper, Julie Trumper, Pat Trumper, Julie Tugwood, Nicola Turner, Peter Turner, Jenny Tustian, John Twigg.
V
Dmitri van-Zwanenberg, William Voce.
W
Jacquie Wade, Terry Walker, Amanda Waller, Wendy Waller, Elizabeth Walton (G), John Waterer, Rachel Waterer, Cathy Watkins, Jason Watkins, Michelle Watts, Lin Watts, Robin Watts, Shirley Webber (G), Anne Westcott, Katie Westcott, Richard Westcott, Nicholas Westwood, Phyl Wherry, Dorae Whittenberg, Chris Wigg, Justin Wiggins, John Williams, Lu Williams, Margaret Williams, Belinda Wilson, Carol Wilson, Jonathan Wilson, Nicky Wilson, Graham Wilton, Anne Winterbottom (G), Tony Wood (G), Martin Woodhead, Lyn Woodruff, Sarah Woodruff, Vivienne Worboys (G), Simon Wormald, Jenny Wright, Peter Wroe, Keith Wykes (G).
Y
Hamish Young (G).
Special Guests:
Pam Ayres, Paul Alexander, Janet Edmunds, Ena Grubb, Camillion Arts, Banbury Cross Players, Martin Jarvis, Celia Johnson, Ian Lindsay, Robert Robinson, Sarah Stephenson, the Threewheelers Folk Group.
Dancers from specific shows:
Beauty & the Beast
Lorraine Deas, Angela Davies, Nicola Farnsworth, Nicola Grimsley, Rowena Homer, Heidi Millward, Denise Payne, Carmen Reilly, Linda Stanley, Natalie Tate, Kitty Tustian, Polly Tustian, Carol Vipond, Rebecca Ware, Amanda Wood.
Circle of Stars, dancers (Suzanne School of Dancing):
Julie Davies, Jane Dunham, Sandra Glover, Vanessa Morrish, Susan Southwell, Amanda Storer.
Dancers appearing in other shows and belonging to the Sharon Ulla School of Dancing:
Amy Baldwin, Jenny Belcher, Kirsty Bonwick, Joanne Davidson, Sarah Lewis, Charlotte Price, Stephanie Taylor, Georgina Vautier.
And dancers from the Sue Taylor Dance Academy:
Clare Appleby, Anthea Atkins, Joanna Bedford, Karen Brockbank, Melanie Bryant, Meryl Byast, Michelle Buzzard, Victoria Buzzard, Melanie Coleman, Christine Cordingley, Lorraine Creevy, Emma Durbin, Fiona Gaffney, Maria Gaffney, Claire Gale, Deborah Garvey, Debbie Godswell, Judith Harris, Nicola Harvey, Lois Hull, Claire Jones, Rachael Kent, Karen Miller, Gillian Mills, Joanne Mills, Deborah Mowbray, Claire O’Doherty, Helen O’Doherty, Helen Oliver, Angela Robinson, Kerry Sexton, Sian Sullivan, Susan Taylor, Nicola Turner, Vivienne Worboyes.
“To our Entire Company we call them all forward for their final curtain call.
Your applause please . . .”